Badshahi Masjid – بادشاھی مسجد – Lahore

Badshahi Masjid – بادشاھی مسجد – Lahore

The Badshahi (بادشاھی مسجد), or “Emperor’s Masjid” was built in 1673 by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in Lahore, Pakistan. It is one of the main attractions of the city and a major tourist attraction epitome of beauty and grandeur of the Mughal era.

Can accommodate more than 55,000 believers, Badshahi Masjid is the second largest in Pakistan, after the Faisal Masjid in Islamabad. The design of the Badshahi Masjid is closely related to Jama Masjid in Delhi, India, which was built in 1648 by Aurangzeb’s father, Emperor Shah Jahan.

Badshahi Masjid is one of the most famous places where Qari Basit (1927-1988), a reciter of the Quran widely praised Egyptian, recited the Koran.

History

The Masjid was built under the patronage of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb Alamgir the sixth. It was completed in 1673 under the supervision of Aurangzeb’s foster brother Muzaffar Hussain (also known as Fidaie Khan Koka) who was appointed governor of Lahore in May 1671 and held office until 1675. He was also captain of artillery from the emperor.

The construction of the Masjid took about two years, from May 1671 until April 1673. The Masjid was built opposite the Lahore Fort, illustrating its stature in the Mughal kingdom. In connection with the construction of the Masjid, a new gate was built in the fort, after the Emperor Alamgiri doorbell rang.

Since 1852, were little by little the repairs carried out under the supervision of the Badshahi Masjid. Extensive repairs were carried out from 1939-1960 an amount of about 4.8 million rupees, which the Masjid to its original shape and condition. For the repair plan by the famous architect Nawab Jang Bahadur Yar ZEN.

In 2000, the repair of inlaid marble in the main vault repaired under the supervision of Salem Anjum Qureshi. On the occasion of the second Islamic Summit held in Lahore on 22.02.1974, thirty-nine heads of Muslim countries offered their Friday prayers at the Badshahi Masjid, Maulana Abdul Qadir Azad led by the Khatib ‘of the Masjid.

Recently a small museum attached to the Masjid complex, the relics of Mohammed, his nephew out, and his daughter, Hazrat Fatima Zahra.

What To See

Like the character of its founder, the masjid is bold, grand and majestic in its expression. It is the largest masjid in the world for a long time. The interior has a rich decoration in plaster tracery (Manbatkari) and panels with a fresh touch, all in relief, like a marble inlay.

The outside is decorated with stone carving and marble inlays of red sandstone, specially of loti form motifs in relief. The decoration is Indo-Greek, Central Asian and Indian architectural influence both in technique and motifs.

The skyline is furnished by beautiful decorative inlaid with marble lining tilt to add grace to the perimeter of the masjid. In the various architectural features, such as the large square courtyard, the aisles (dalan), the four corner minarets, the cruise central projection room prayer and tail gate, a summary of the history of the development of masjid architecture Islamic world during the thousand year before construction in 1673.

The north end wall of the masjid was placed near the river Ravi, is a stately port can not be given to that side and the symmetry of the door had to be omitted in the south wall is also. Thus, a plan the previous four Aiwan Delhi Jamia Masjid could not be assessed here. The walls were built with small bricks laid baked in Kankan, lime mortar (a kind of hydraulic calcium), but have a layer of red sandstone.

The steps leading to the prayer room and the foundation of Jasper. The prayer room is very deep and is divided into seven compartments by rich engraved arches carried on very heavy piers.

Of the seven compartments, three double domes finished in marble are excellent curve, while the rest have curved dome with a central nerve in the ceiling and the floor above.

On the eastern front aisle, the ceiling of the compartment is flat (Qalamdani) with a curved edge (ghalatan) to the cornice. The original floor was laid with small patio bricks in the pattern set Mussalah.

The present red sandstone flooring was laid during the last revision (1.939-1960). The original floor of House of Prayer in the cut and dressed bricks with marble and Sang-i-Abri lining Mussalah and was replaced by marble Mussalah during the last repair. There are only two inscriptions in the masjid: one on the front door and a camera Kalimah in prayer under the main vault.